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NDDC boss breaks silence on what made him collapse during Reps grilling

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Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Expanded Interim Management Committee, EIMC, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, Tuesday, opened his heart on the ill-starred incident at the House of Representatives, where he unexpectedly fainted while being questioned by lawmakers, a month ago.

Pondei, undoubtedly stressed but back to his feet, in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, disclosed that he had a mysterious and unpredictable health challenge and was stunned people thought he was acting.

Speaking on the delay in passing the Commission’s 2019 Budget, he revealed: “A minor typographical error was noticed and we asked for 10 minutes to amend the errors, but the presentation was stepped down. The National Assembly, NASS, has since gone on recess.”

I noticed a new bounce in NDDC activity after your last appearance in the House of Representatives, are you back to your feet now, what really happened to you on that day?

I had an unexplained, unexpected health challenge. It is ridiculous to think that people believed I was acting. I would not pray for anyone to experience what I went through. I do not run from issues. I have put all that behind me.

Despite the allegations against you and other EIMC members, you seemed not to be perturbed anymore, as you have gone back to work, what is the adrenaline?

This is because the accusations/allegations were laughable. From N40 billion missing, the probes now became extra-budgetary spending.

After accusing the EIMC of embezzlement of N40 billion, nothing was substantiated.

The IMC is then asked to refund monies paid for historical debts owed contractors, service providers and allowances paid to staff.

Some lawmakers said NDDC was mistaking projects they facilitated to their for contracts awarded to them and calling them contractors, don’t you think the Commission is, indeed, mixing up things up?

The Forensic Audit will determine that. We are told that the lawmakers actually facilitated the projects to their constituencies, but also insisted on the contracts been awarded to them or their proxies.

It is obvious that some of the beneficiaries used proxies to collect contracts from the Commission, don’t think you think they were ingenious than you people in NDDC?

That seems to be the case. The current EIMC decided to change the way things are done in the NDDC and this is responsible for most of this face-off.

Again, the Commission admitted that some people might have used names of some influential Niger -Deltans to obtain contracts, why did things degenerate to such low in NDDC?

This is because there were no checks or balances. The NDDC was a place for political patronage and raising war chests for elections.

So much about NDDC contracts’ cartel allegedly run by MD, ED- Projects and ED-FA, have you heard of this cartel and are you part of it?

I want you to investigate this discretely, ask staff at the Headquarters. I am not part of any cartel. Instead, I have tried to eliminate this by reducing interaction between staff and contractors. Gratification had been going on as a routine procedure. Nepotism in processing of files and payments also exist. Before all these distractions, the EIMC was working seriously on this issue of people being asked to pay percentages to staff.

NDDC in its letter to Senator Nwaoboshi did not directly link him to the contracts it asked him to refund money, does it mean the Commission has no direct evidence to show that he had anything to do with the companies?

I’ll skip this

In the case of Joi Nunieh, your predecessor, she had denied approving contract she was asked to make refund?

I’ll also skip this

What made you to write IGP over Senator Nwaoboshi, could it be that the Minister of Niger Delta is using you against him, as Nunieh insinuated?

No, the Honourable Minister is not using the EIMC. We also wrote about other contracts.

Have you correspondingly written IGP over Nunieh case too?

See above

But the contracts NDDC allegedly gave to lawmakers and other prominent N’Deltans were not given during your tenure, why is the Commission raising dust as if it happened recently?

This is because payment/non-payment of these contracts contributed to the face-off and the lawmakers were denying ever doing contracts associated with the NDDC

Please, what really is the problem with the passing of NDDC’s 2020 budget? When was it submitted? What is delaying passage? Is there any demand on NDDC that is causing the delay?

The 2019 and 2020 NDDC Budgets were submitted in October 2019. The 2019 Budget was passed in the first week of March 2020 and the approval given on the 20th March 2020. The signed copy of the approved budget was not received by the NDDC until second week of April 2020 during the Covid-19 lock-down. The Commission tried its best to see if implementation of any projects could be started.

Unfortunately, the 2019 Budget expired on the 31st of May 2020 and the next day, we got communication from the Committee Chairmen of the NASS informing us of the expiration of the budget. In between the probes by the NASS, we tried to present the 2019 budget performance and defend the 2020 budget.

A minor typographical error was noticed and we asked for 10 minutes to amend the errors, but the presentation was stepped down. The NASS has since gone on recess.

The uproar by the media and many Nigerians was because the expenditures for N81.5 bn were weird, just as the reasons given for them were scandalous for EIMC supposedly on a purifying mission, why do you think you were unfairly judged?

This is not true. The current EIMC did not spend N81.5bn. This was the joint expenditure by both IMCs from October 2019 to 31st May 2020. The current IMC between 20th February 2020 and 31st May, 2020 spent N59.1bn. Out of this, N38.6bn was for capital expenditure, paid to contractors and other expenditure incurred by previous managements. The balance was for recurrent expenditure, including backlog of debts owed to service providers and backlog of allowances approved for staff by previous managements, but left unpaid.

Our sin has been that we have tried to clean up the embarrassing debts incurred by previous managements.

The Commission was reportedly spending more funds while the probe was on, why?

All relevant documents/facts submitted to Senate/House of Representatives Committees that were kept away from the public.

What is the non-passage causing to the Niger Delta?

It is causing retrogression of the region. People borrowed money to execute NDDC contracts. Non-payment is having a toll on many contractors from the region. Two budgetary cycles have been lost. Recall that it was the unavailability of budgets that led to previous Managements adopting emergency contracts to keep the NDDC functional, and has ultimately led to this burdensome debt profile of the NDDC.

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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”

He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”

Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.

He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.

“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”

The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.

He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”

“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”

Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.

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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency

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The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.

In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.

Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote

Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.

The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded

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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience

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Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.

The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.

In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.

He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”

The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.

Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.

“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”

Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.

“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”

The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.

By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.

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